Method for Making Fleeced Knitted Fabric for Enhancing Capillary Gradient and Uni-directional Outgoing Moisture Transportability Thereof

ABSTRACT

A method for preliminarily making a basic knitted fabric by repeatedly juxtapositionally plating a hydrophilic yarn on a hydrophobic yarn to form an inner hydrophobic sublayer consisting of a plurality of inner hydrophobic loops to be contacted with a wearer&#39;s skin, and an outer hydrophilic sublayer consisting of a plurality of outer hydrophilic loops at an outer surface; and for secondarily fleecing the basic knitted fabric to increase its capillary gradient and uni-directional moisture transportability for quickly transporting moisture outwardly for making the wearer more dry, warm, comfortable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

A prior art of U.S. Patent Application No. 14/742,701 disclosed a light and thin fabric which is made by juxtapostionally knitting a hydrophilic yarn on a hydrophobic yarn by repeatedly juxtapositionally plating the hydrophilic yarn on the hydrophobic yarn to form an inner hydrophobic sublayer consisting of a plurality of inner hydrophobic loops to be contacted with a wearer's skin, and an outer hydrophilic sublayer consisting of a plurality of outer hydrophilic loops at an outer surface, whereby the inner hydrophobic loops as contacted with the wearer's skin will capillarily transfer the moisture or sweat as discharged from the wearer towards the outer hydrophilic loops; and whereby the outer hydrophilic loops are adapted to absorb the moisture or sweat from the inner hydrophobic loops to diffuse the moisture and evaporate as vapor outwardly.

However, such a prior art may be further modified to improve its capillary gradient and one-way moisture transporting property for making a wearer more comfortable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for preliminarily making a basic knitted fabric by repeatedly juxtapositionally plating a hydrophilic yarn on a hydrophobic yarn to form an inner hydrophobic sublayer consisting of a plurality of inner hydrophobic loops to be contacted with a wearer's skin, and an outer hydrophilic sublayer consisting of a plurality of outer hydrophilic loops at an outer surface; and for secondarily fleecing the basic knitted fabric to increase its capillary gradient and uni-directional moisture transportability for quickly transporting moisture outwardly for mak ng the wearer more dry. warni and comfortable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a basic knitted fabric as made in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simulated illustration showing the sweat, as discharged from a wearer, being capillarily transferred and evaporated outwardly through the basic knitted fabric in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

The present invention comprises a method for preliminarily making a basic knitted fabric, which comprises: an inner hydrophobic sublayer 1; and an outer hydrophilic sublayer 2.

A hydrophilic yarn is repeatedly juxtapositionally plated on a hydrophobic yarn to obtain the inner hydrophobic sublayer 1 consisting of a plurality of hydrophobic loops and the outer hydrophilic sublayer 2 consisting of a plurality of hydrophilic loops.

A plurality of ventilating apertures 3 are formed through the inner hydrophobic sublayer 1 and the outer hydrophilic sublayer 2 for well ventilating purpose.

The hydrophobic yarn and the hydrophilic yarn are fed into the double feeding ports of a yarn feeder of a single-knit circular knitting machine and are repeatedly knitted to plate the outer hydrophilic yarn on the inner hydrophobic yarn to juxtapositionally superimpose the outer hydrophilic yarn on the inner hydrophobic yarn to form a plurality of inner hydrophobic loops constructing an inner hydrophobic sublayer 1 and a plurality of outer hydrophilic loops constructing an outer hydrophilic sublayer 2.

The “sublayer” 1 or 2, as aforementioned, is thus defined because either the inner hydrophobic sublayer 1 or the outer hydrophilic sublayer 2 is not really a “single layer” of yarn. The inner hydrophobic yarn is served as a “ground yarn”, while the outer hydrophilic yarn is served as a “plating yarn”, both being fed into the double feeding ports of a yarn feeder of a single-knit circular knitting machine to obtain t he superimposed yarn product consisting of the inner hydrophobic yarn and the outer hydrophilic yarn. Either inner yarn or outer yarn may thus be defined as a “subunit” or “sublayer” of a single layer, but rather than a single layer.

Accordingly, the present invention discloses a basic knitted fabric consisting of an inner sublayer 1 and an outer sublayer 2, to be totally thinner and lighter than a conventional knitted fabric which is made by a double-knit circular knitting machine to be a double-layer fabric.

Such a light and thin basic knitted fabric as produced in accordance with the present invention will, of course, have the following advantages:

-   -   1. As shown in FIG. 2, the moisture M of the wearer's sweat S         will be capillarily transferred from the inner hydrophobic         sublayer 1 to the outer hydrophilic sublayer 2 to evaporate as         vapor V which will be diffused and emit to the environment to         quickly dry the fabric of the present invention. Since both         sublayers 1, 2 are so thin, the moisture M will be quickly         evaporated as vapor V by passing a short path (thin thickness)         of the basic fabric so soon without being condensed to be a         condensate which may blockade the outward discharge of moisture.     -   2. All loops of the inner and outer sublayers 1, 2 will form a         plurality of ventilating apertures 3, each aperture 3 playing a         role like a ventilation window or chimney to help a well         ventilation of the air, vapor or water molecules of the moisture         through the aperture 3 from the wearer's skin to the outside         surrounding or environment, thereby efficiently removing humid         air outwardly from the wearer to make him or her more         comfortable.     -   3. The outer hydrophilic yarn is juxtapostionally superimposed         on the inner hydrophobic yarn so that the water molecules of the         sweat moisture as capillarily moving from the fiber voids in the         inner hydrophobic yarn or through the interstices among the         yarns will be instantly absorbed by the outer hydrophilic yarn,         which in turn will be quickly evaporated from the outer         hydrophilic yarn. Therefore, the moisture, as rapidly evaporated         outwardly, will not be condensed due to over saturation in the         outer yarn, and will not “re-enter” (as reverse flow) onto the         wearer's skin or body, really making him or her dry and         comfortable without clammy, cold, or “chill” feeling.

The hydrophobic yarns as used in the present invention may be selected, but not limited, from polyester or nylon. In the present invention, the hydrophilic yarn may be directly selected from those yarns which are hydrophilic in situ, or the hydrophilic yarn may be optionally converted from a hydrophobic yarn which becomes hydrophilic as being further processed.

The polyester yarns as used in the present invention include an inner fine hydrophobic polyester yarn having a fineness of 20˜50 d eniers and an outer coarse hydrophilic polyester yarn having a fineness of 40˜200 deniers.

The knitting machine may be selected from a single-knit circular knitting machine (24 G˜42 G) for knitting the basic fabric consisting of the inner hydrophobic sublayer 1 and the outer hydrophilic sublayer 2 as aforementioned, but not limited in the present invention.

The basic knitted fabric, as preliminarily prepared as afore-mentioned, is now secondarily processed as follows:

The basic knitted fabric is now fleeced in accordance with the following process steps:

-   Dyeing the basic knitted fabric: -   Setting after dyeing; -   Fleecing; -   Setting after fleecing; and -   Obtaining the fleeced knitted fabric.

The fleecing step may be performed by a napper, or a brushing machine to raise a plurality of piles from the inner hydrophobic layer to form fuzzy surface on the inner hydrophobic sublayer.

The fleecing step of the present invention has the following functions or advantages:

-   -   1. The density of the inner hydrophobic sublayer is lowered, but         still maintaining the weight, unchanged, to thereby increase the         volume of the inner sublayer to increase the capillary gradient         from the inner hydrophobic sublayer towards the outer         hydrophilic sublayer and to thereby increase the uni-directional         moisture transportability to efficiently remove moisture         outwardly. Therefore, the sweat or moisture in the inner         sublayer or accumulated on the wearer's skin will be quickly         transported outwardly to dry the skin to make the wearer         comfortable.     -   2. The contacting area between the fleeced inner sublayer and         the wearer's skin is decreased since the fleeced piles as formed         on the inner sublayer may reduce the contacting area with the         wearer's skin.

In other words, the reduced contacting area between the inner fleeced sublayer and the wearer's skin may therefore reduce the heat dissipation from the wearer's skin towards the outer sublayer to thereby keep the wearer's body warm, especially in cold weather.

-   -   3. Due to the different hydrophilicities of the fleeced inner         sublayer and the outer sublayer, the hodrophilic gradient of the         fabric of the present invention may be increased to thereby         better transport moisture outwardly, making the wearer's skin         dry and comfortable.     -   4. The total thickness of the fleeced knitted fabric will be         increased and the hand feeling or wearing comfortability when         wearing the fabric of the present invention will thus be         increased.

The fleeced knitted fabric as obtained by the present invention may keep warm for the wearer to prevent from cold feeling. For checking such a property, a Qmax test result is listed as follows:

TABLE 1 Test Result of the knitted fabrics: Fabric Qmax (w/cm²) Not fleeced 0.113 Fleeced 0.078

Remarks:

-   -   1. The fabric for testing is a knitted fabric consisting of         polyester.     -   2. The Qmax is a therma parameter related to the human cutaneous         sensation of warm/cool feeling. The “w” indicates watts in the         above-mentioned table.

From the above Table 1, the fleeced fabric as obtained in accordance with the present invention has a lower value of Qmax, indicating that the fleeced knitted fabric of the present invention will not be cool, and will have a better warm-keeping capability to make the wearer more comfortable.

The present invention is superior to the prior art of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/742,701 with the following advantages:

-   -   1. The inner fleeced sublayer will increase its capillary         gradient and uni-directional (one-way) moisture         transportability, to thereby make the wearer's skin in contact         with the inner sublayer more dry and comfortable.     -   2. The hydrophilic gradient from inner sublayer towards the         outer sublayer is increased to thereby transport sweat or         moisture more quickly, also enhancing the wearer's dry feel and         comfortability.     -   3. The thickness is increased to enhance the hand feel, softness         and cushioning effect for a comfortable wearing.     -   4. The contacting area between the fabric and wearer's skin is         reduced to thereby keep the wearer warmer, better especially in         cold or winder weather.

The present invention may be further modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

I claim:
 1. A method for making a fleeced knitted fabric comprising the steps of: A. Preliminarily making a basic, knitted fabric by repeatedly knitting an outer hydrophilic yarn on an inner hydrophobic yarn by juxtapositionally feeding said hydrophilic yarn and said hydrophobic yarn into double feeding ports of a single-knit circular knitting machine and repeatedly plating said outer hydrophilic yarn on said inner hydrophobic yarn to juxtapositionally superimpose said outer hydrophilic yarn on said inner hydrophobic yarn to form a plurality of hydrophobic loops for constructing an inner hydrophobic sublayer adapted to be proximate or contacted with a wearer's skin or body to capillarity transfer moisture of a wearer's sweat outwardly, and form a plurality of hydrophilic loops for constructing an outer hydrophilic sublayer adapted for absorbing moisture as transferred from said inner hydrophobic sublayer to be outwardly diffused and evaporated as vapor to be released from said outer hydrophilic sublayer; and B. Secondarily fleecing the basic knitted fabric as obtained from Step A by fleecing the inner hydrophobic sublayer by a napper or a brushing machine to raise a plurality of piles from said inner hydrophobic sublayer to increase a capillary gradient and uni-directional moisture transportability of said knitted fabric for quickly transferring moisture outwardly. 